Hurricane Karina was moving into the central Pacific Ocean on Friday as a Category 1 storm.
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The storm was forecast to gradually weaken over the next two days, although it was expected to remain a hurricane through Saturday. The hurricane was not expected to make landfall and no coastal watches or warnings were in effect, though some dangerous conditions were expected, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Here’s what to know about Hurricane Karina.
Where Is Hurricane Karina Heading?
Karina initially reached Category 1 status with maximum sustained winds reaching 80 mph. In just hours, it intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with top sustained winds of 125 mph.
As of late Sunday, Karina developed into a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds reaching at least 145 mph.
Karina was located about 960 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, moving west at 9 mph. It was predicted to move farther into the Pacific on Monday, with a turn toward the west-northwest on Tuesday.
The hurricane does not pose an immediate threat to land. However, the swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the coastline in southwest Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula. These conditions will likely spread northward to southern California throughout the week.
How Does This Year’s Activity Compare to Forecasts?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 each year. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season is from May 15 through Nov. 30. Peak activity usually occurs between mid-August and mid-October.
– Seven to 13 named storms
– Two to six hurricanes
– No more than two major hurricanes
The Atlantic has seen five named storms: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly and Edouard.
The central Pacific has had one hurricane, Lala, and one tropical storm, Moke.
The eastern Pacific has been the site of seven named tropical storms: Amanda, Boris, Christina, Elida, Hernan, Iselle and Julio. The region has also recorded six hurricanes: Fausto, Genevieve, Karina, Douglas, Marie and Lowell.
What Other Storms Are Brewing?
Tropical Storm Lowell is another emerging storm in the Pacific. On Sunday, the storm reached maximum winds of 50 mph, roughly 985 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
Some forecasts expected it to strengthen again over the next two days as it begins to turn north.
Tropical Storm Marie is a Category 2 hurricane in the North Pacific, making it the 13th named storm to appear in the eastern Pacific this year.
The storm was moving west-northwestward at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds reaching 100 mph. It continued to move northwestward away from land, with a gradual turn toward the northwest expected in the coming days.